In April 2018, Cheshire East Council was one of the first local authorities visited by Mark Riddell MBE (the government’s national implementation adviser for care leavers), who praised the Council for the high standard of their support for Care Leavers.
Mr Riddell found that:
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There is now a higher percentage of care leavers who are in employment, education and training;
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Care leavers’ transitions into adulthood are well tracked;
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Care leavers’ needs are identified quickly and responded to;
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Specialist staff are employed to support care leavers reach their goals; and
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The model of delivery is strong, ambitious and being driven by a team of very passionate workers.
In stark contrast, the Ofsted ILACS Inspection, published today, has found the Council’s support for Care Leavers to be “Inadequate”.
Senior Leaders had “not recognised the extent of improvement required in services for care leavers” and in addition, all other areas inspected “require Improvement”.
Cllr Jos Saunders (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services in 2018 and currently Childrens Opposition Spokesperson), stated;
“In 2018, we were so pleased with the outcome of Mark Riddell’s feedback. However, even then, I made it clear that we could not rest on our laurels and indeed, we delivered further improvements later that year.
To see those excellent results decline in just 5 years is heartbreaking and our young people, in care and leaving care, deserve better.”
CEC has been found wanting with improvements required in:
- The oversight of their performance and
- the “quality, consistency and responsiveness of support, advice and guidance for care leavers, including those who are homeless with additional vulnerabilities and those who are over 21 years of age”.
- The quality of management oversight and supervision to ensure that consistent social work practice is in place
- The quality of care plans
- The quality and frequency of visits to children
- The sufficiency of suitable placement that can meet children and young people’s assessed needs
- The effectiveness of Child Protection Chairs and Independent Reviewing Officers to escalate, challenge and scrutinise plans for children.
It is recognised that dedicated staff are already working extremely hard to address Ofsted’s recommendations and we welcome that news.
However, this report simply adds to the list of serious, emerging failures in the Children’ and Families Committee remit, including the Council’s High Needs (SEN) debt that already stands at £90m and is rising at rates described as “unprecedented”, threatening the financial stability of the whole Council.
Over the past five years, the Lead Member for Children has consistently failed in their Leadership to challenge, oversee and maintain the care of our most vulnerable residents, or the functionality of the service, to such unprecedented levels that the whole council is staring a Section 114 bankruptcy Notice in the face. It is time that they ‘consider their position’ and resign this vital, statutory role to someone better able to fulfill it.
Cllr Janet Clowes:
Conservative Group Leader (Opposition)
Cheshire East Council
References
April 2014
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/media_hub/media_releases/national-adviser-praises-council-for-care-leavers.aspx
May 2024
https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50247203
